Ulysse Nardin Debuts the [Super] Freak at Watches & Wonders 2026
The Maison celebrates 180 years with a double tourbillon carousel, Nanosital architectureand next‑gen energy transmission.
Summary
- Ulysse Nardin debuts the [Super] Freak at Watches and Wonders 2026, celebrating 180 years of the Maison and 25 years of the Freak watch
- Limited to 50 pieces, the [Super] Freak is powered by the new UN‑252 caliber, which features a world-first automatic double tourbillon carousel
Ulysse Nardin marks a monumental dual milestone this year as it celebrates 180 years since its founding in Le Locle, as well as the 25th anniversary of the icon that redefined modern horology: the Freak. To commemorate this legacy, the Maison took to Watches and Wonders in Geneva to unveil the [Super] Freak — a timepiece the brand declared as the most complicated time-only watch ever made. This release serves as a tribute to the original 2001 Freak — a “viral moment” of its time that famously dispensed with the crown, hands and dial in favor of a rotating movement that tells the time. The [Super] Freak represents the absolute pinnacle of the collection, distilling 25 years of research and development into a single high-tech machine.
At the heart of the [Super] Freak is the entirely new in-house caliber UN-252, a mechanical powerhouse that was four years in the making. It stands as a historic milestone, featuring the world’s first automatic double tourbillon carousel. The minute bridge presents two titanium flying tourbillons, each inclined at 10 degrees and rotating in opposite directions every 60 seconds. This complex seven-plane construction results in an architecture where 97.46% of the movement is in motion, with only 13 of its 511 components remaining fixed.
The watch integrates several of Ulysse Nardin’s most significant patented inventions, including the world’s smallest differential and a newly patented gimbal system. Measuring just 4.8 mm, the gimbal ensures flawless energy transmission to the newly introduced seconds display. To provide the massive energy required to power two tourbillons, the Maison employs its Grinder® winding system, the most efficient automatic system in the industry. Aesthetics are further elevated by an hour disc rendered in transparent blue Nanosital, a high-tech polycrystalline material that reveals the automatic engine beneath.
Crafted for the most discerning collectors, the [Super] Freak is housed in a 44 mm white-gold case and is limited to just 50 timepieces. The watch is an artisanal masterpiece, with over 70% of the movement hand-finished and every single piece assembled by one Grandes Complications watchmaker over 60 hours. Head over to Ulysse Nardin’s official website for more details on its availability.
